This new order for a competency evaluation will allow the psychological examiners services program with the Minnesota Judicial Branch to look at all of Sawchak’s past mental health evaluations and court documents. They will also be able to interview Sawchak.

Since 2007, Sawchak has been a party to 10 court petitions seeking an order for protection based on allegations of harassment, stalking, window-peeping and various forms of assault. The previous claims prompted at least five criminal complaints, starting in 2016, outlining increasingly threatening and violent behavior in the Lyndale neighborhood. His only conviction, so far, is for slashing the tires of a Minneapolis police officer.

The Moturi family had repeatedly asked to have Sawchak arrested for his behavior. Even after Moturi was shot, it took police five days to arrest Sawchack — culminating in a late night SWAT standoff where MPD officers shattered his windows and used heavy machinery to tear holes into the home’s upper floor.

The perceived lack of police action led to increasing criticism of how the Minneapolis Police Department had handled Sawchak’s behavior and the complaints of the Moturi family, culminating in a contentious City Council meeting on Oct. 31.

Officials on Monday identified a man who was shot to death over the weekend near a south Minneapolis park.

Ivan J. Bercier, 28, was shot about 4:45 a.m. Saturday at an address in the 2400 block of 17th Avenue S., according to police records. Recent court filings list his last known address as being in St. Paul.

No arrests have been announced.

Officers responding to reports of three gunshots around 4:45 a.m. They found a wounded Bercier near East Phillips Park. He was taken by emergency medical responders to HCMC, where he died.

“This is a tragic event that occurred in a neighborhood near a park and a church,” read a statement from Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “”We need anyone with information about what happened to contact us immediately.”

Police are urging anyone with information to contact them at policetips@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-5845. Tips are also being received by CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

The next decade could bring downtown Minneapolis a marquee outdoor ice rink, a Michelin star, consistent skyway hours and thousands more residents, if the Downtown Council’s 10-year plan comes to fruition.

The business organization unveiled its vision Monday for downtown through 2035, including ambitious goals to transform Minneapolis’ urban core to meet new demands and desires. That starts with filling the gaps office workers left when remote and hybrid work became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our city is at a pivotal point, and this plan meets the moment,” Minneapolis Downtown Council President and CEO Adam Duininck said in a statement. “This plan represents more than just aspirations for the future. It’s a blueprint for making downtown the premier place to live, work and celebrate over the next decade.”

Proposals in the 131-page “Downtown by Design” report range from massive redevelopment aspirations — including the transformation of the riverfront U.S. Post Office — to more modest improvements such as the removal of pavement and grating around trees on Nicollet Mall.

Their timelines, progress and feasibility also vary widely: While some projects, like the redesign of North First Avenue, are already underway, other new ideas like the outdoor ice rink have few concrete details.

“Downtown Minneapolis is in the midst of an exciting transformation, rising as the north’s top destination for arts, sports, dining, shopping and business,” Frey said in a statement. “Our city deserves a downtown where innovation and bold ideas become everyday reality — and the 2035 Plan is helping drive that change.”

The strategy is organized around four main pillars: neighborhood cultivation, foundational safety, hassle-free systems and irresistible vibe.